Cross Border Xpress | Expansion Following Record Passenger Growth
Cross Border Express
CBX, the 390 ft. bi-national bridge in Otay Mesa connecting directly to the passenger terminal in the Tijuana International Airport, is investing nearly $20 million throughout 2020 to improve and expand facilities. The investments are being made to accommodate increasing passenger counts and continue streamlining the travel experience. In 2019, the CBX terminal served nearly 2.9 million passengers, a 28.5 percent increase over the previous year, and the largest year-end passenger count on record.
CEO Jorge Goytortúa attributes these historic increases to greater recognition and awareness of the facility among Southern Californians. By using CBX, travelers have access to more than 35 direct flights to top destinations in Mexico, operated by leading Mexican airlines such as Volaris, Aeroméxico, Viva Aerobus, Interjet and Calafia.
The expansion includes the construction of a new parking lot, expanded bathroom areas and additional lanes inside the border inspection facility. By November of next year, CBX is expected to go from four to eight double-stacked booths, for a total of 16 inspection lines available, greatly expediting wait times for processing travelers.
The only bridge of its kind in the United States, CBX has been praised by the tourism sector for its positive economic impact on both sides of the border. Nearly 8 million travelers from Mexico visited California in 2018, spending $3.8 billon, according to data from the San Diego Tourism Authority. CBX also partnered with Visit California to launch a new California Welcome Center at the facility in October of 2019. One of 18 Welcome Centers across the state, the California Welcome Center at CBX is conveniently located in the arrivals terminal, offering first-time visitors from Mexico a warm welcome with bilingual assistants, digital interactions, translated media and California guides.
By expanding and improving the unique facility, CBX hopes to serve even more travelers in the coming years, establishing San Diego as a two-airport city and making CBX and Tijuana International Airport widely recognized options for quick and affordable international travel throughout the region.
To use the bridge, travelers must have a valid airline boarding pass, CBX ticket and official travel documents, including a passport. Tickets to use CBX are available online and those traveling in groups of four or more can find packages with special offers and pricing available throughout the year. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit www.crossborderxpress.com.
